Long Beach council candidate was among police plaintiffs in 'donning and doffing' case

LONG BEACH — John Watkins, a 4th District City Council candidate, was a plaintiff in the "donning and doffing" class action lawsuit won by Long Beach police two years ago, according to the City Attorney's Office.

The city was represented by outside counsel in the case, which was brought by police seeking compensation for allegedly unpaid time spent putting on their uniforms and protective gear, waiting in court, attending briefings, attending classes and other routine tasks.

Police officers, including Watkins, were given 47 vacation hours over four years in a settlement. Long Beach also paid attorney fees of $300,000.

Of the 899 current and former officers that signed on to the lawsuit, 120 dropped out before the agreement was made, but the terms of the deal were applied to the 883 officers then in the department.

Watkins retired in December 2010, the month the settlement was announced.

Under the provisions of the agreement, police who retired before the four-year life of the settlement expired would put their unused vacation hours into their sick hours bank, an account that can be used for medical expenses after retirement.

Watkins couldn't be reached for comment Tuesday.

Steve James, president of the Long Beach Police Officers Association, which wasn't a party in the case, said the settlement has resulted in positive changes.

Before the agreement, officers would work security at a movie set and not be paid until after they had donned their uniforms and equipment at a station and driven a city-owned police vehicle to the set, according to James. Now, they are paid for the entire process.

"There absolutely were some legitimate claims in there," James said.

According to James, attorneys should be held accountable for problems that the lawsuit caused the city, which at the time was battling multi-million dollar budget deficits.

Attorneys bolstered by wins against California cities in similar cases approached police in Long Beach, said James.

"They went and sold a bill of goods to these folks, how the city was violating federal law," he said.